This report builds on information prepared for and presented at the June 2001 meeting of the National Alliance on the American High School (the Alliance). It focuses on one layer of the education system, state policy, which was selected for study because major changes in practice are hard to establish and even harder to sustain when state policies…

This study examined two major questions: do national and state assessments provide consistent information on the performance of state education systems, and what accounts for discrepancies between national and state assessment results if they are found? Data came from national and state assessments in grade 4 and grade 8 mathematics from 1992 to…

Each state is going to set its own education standards, but unless state leaders talk to each other, there are going to be huge unexplained differences in state performance standards for student achievement. What states say they want their students to be taught is quite similar, but they appear to have very different standards for what students…

This report details family planning service delivery at the state level and presents state administrators' views about service delivery and policy options for the 1990s. Data for the report were obtained from telephone surveys of 109 State Administrators from the Title X, Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, Social Services Block Grant, and…

This state-by-state directory of migrant education summer programs is intended to help educators coordinate services and instruction for migrant families and their children. All states (except Hawaii), Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia are listed. Each state entry includes the complete mailing address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail…

This report contains the profiles of state-sponsored extended learning initiatives in California, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Texas. They address the need to provide extra time and opportunity for students who have difficulty meeting today's standards, and for students who are meeting standards during the school day, but want…

Noting that persistent poverty, hunger, and food insecurity remain an important challenge in the United States, this report of the Food Research and Action Center details food and nutrition programs throughout the country. The report, designed for use by governments, advocates, religious organizations, schools, service providers, and non-profit…

This study: (1) examined the role of state policies and programs in facilitating and encouraging the use of data in decision-making at the school and district levels across the state of Wyoming; and (2) identifies ways in which the state can increase and improve the use of data-driven decision-making (DDDM) in districts and schools. The study…

Community colleges and baccalaureate and graduate degree granting institutions are active in school-to-career efforts in Colorado in a variety of ways. This document describes some School-to-Career initiatives at Colorado colleges, grouped according to three major educational objectives. The first is to infuse School-to-Career competencies and…

The feature article of this issue discusses state initiatives to address high-risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among college and university students. These efforts have focused mainly on networking, information sharing, and professional development. Many are based on the initiative developed by Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth, an approach to…

This guide contains materials to help teachers understand and use the reports from the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). In spring 1998, the Department of Education, in conjunction with Harcourt Educational Measurement, began its annual administration of the DSTP reading, writing, and mathematics tests for students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10…

This report is intended to help parents understand the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) and the reports generated by the testing program. In spring 1998, the Department of Education, in conjunction with Harcourt Educational Measurement, began its annual administration of the DSTP reading, writing, and mathematics tests for students in…

Almost every state has in place a state assessment and accountability system. These systems vary greatly in their characteristics but share a common global purpose of improving teaching and learning. Some of the variations in the state systems are discussed and illustrated with examples from selected states. Issues that are critical to the value…

This report presents the results of the West Virginia Statewide Assessment Program for 1999-2000. Student performance is reported for the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT-9), the state Writing Assessment, ACT EXPLORE, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Results of all these assessments indicate that West…

Dental disease is one of the most prevalent illnesses facing children in the United States today. Eighty percent of untreated dental disease in permanent teeth is found in roughly 25 percent of 5- to 17-year old children, most of whom come from low-income and other vulnerable populations. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)…